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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25351096">city lights lay out before us</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/thedreaming/pseuds/thedreaming'>thedreaming</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Adventure Zone (Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, Pre-Canon, Stargazing, this is. incredibly sappy, very little happens they're just happy and in love</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 07:19:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,464</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25351096</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/thedreaming/pseuds/thedreaming</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"Do you want to come to a work party with me?"</p><p>A day or two in Hurley and Sloane’s life together, before everything changes again.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hurley/Sloane (The Adventure Zone)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>city lights lay out before us</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>the petals to the metal graphic novel was incredible and pushed me to finally finish this. i wrote most of this before the graphic novel was released, but i think it fits well enough :)</p><p>title from tracy chapman’s fast car (i actually chose this song BEFORE friday's livestream!)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Do you want to come to a work party with me?"</p><p>Hurley still couldn't believe that <em> she</em>, not Sloane, had been the one to suggest it, that Sloane hadn't nagged her into agreeing to the opportunity for hijinks. She expected to mention it in passing, and for Sloane to then pester her into sneaking her in, grinning easily until Hurley caved. </p><p>Instead, when she arrived at their shared apartment late that night, she took one look at Sloane sleepily gazing up at her from where she was lounging in wait on the couch, and the words fell out of her mouth.</p><p>Sloane had been equally surprised. "As... the thief? Or the Raven to your Ram?" She asked, seeming convinced that Hurley was just messing with her.</p><p>Hurley huffed out a breath, trying in vain to convince herself that she regretted bringing it up. “No,” she corrected, “as Sloane. People at work know I’ve been seeing someone for a while now— they’ve actually been asking about it a lot. I don’t think they would really look twice if you came.”</p><p>Sloane’s previously sleepy face was transformed by a wide smile, and Hurley could feel how pleased she was. Innocently, Sloane replied, “I thought you said we needed to keep a low profile. Isn’t that what you said?<em> We shouldn’t let anyone know we’re associated? </em>”</p><p>Finally dropping her bag and closing the door behind her softly, Hurley walked up to the back of the couch and punched Sloane lightly in the arm. “Don’t be an ass. I didn't mean it like that. They won’t know it’s <em>you</em><em>—</em> like, the Raven you,” she said. “We just need to make an appearance. I’d like it if you were there.”</p><p>Sloane let out a long-suffering sigh and raised her eyes to the planes above. “Fine, you’ve twisted my arm. I accept.”</p><p>Her chin and eyebrows were both lifted as she affected a haughty expression. Hurley knew her well enough after so long to see that she was biting the inside of her cheek, trying to contain a smile. Hurley touched her thumb to the little indent in Sloane’s cheek, and they both burst into laughter. </p><p> </p><p>---</p><p> </p><p>Now, Sloane was sitting on the hood of their battle wagon, scuffing her heels against the floor as Hurley bustled around, shoving a random array of objects into a bag of holding. Sloane thought about asking why they would need a blanket, a full-sized lamp, a potted plant, several books, and a bowl of fruit for a garden party, but as she watched Hurley throwing object after object over her shoulder she became less and less sure that Hurley was packing with any aim in mind. In the absence of any better explanation, it seemed to Sloane that Hurley was attempting in this moment to test the absolute limits of her bag of holding. </p><p>Sloane really wasn’t in any sort of rush, though, and Hurley had made her get ready early anyway, so they had a good thirty minutes before they actually needed to go anywhere. Sloane watched idly as Hurley closed the bag with an air of definitiveness, the source of which escaped Sloane. </p><p>With that apparently out of the way, Hurley picked up a wrench and began circling the battle wagon, forever looking for things to improve, for ways to make the wind whip through their hair a little faster as they rode the track. </p><p>Sloane loved that look in Hurley’s eye— it reminded her the first time Hurley caught up to her (the time she <em> let </em> her), their first kiss after their first win in the dark of the desert, the way Hurley always looked at her while they were racing. That fiery glint that reminded her how Hurley had fallen for racing, how Sloane had made a racer out of her, and how Hurley had soon after fallen right out of that battle wagon and into Sloane’s arms.</p><p>Sloane tapped Hurley’s hand as she passed by, walking to the work bench. “Make sure you don’t get dirty while you tinker. You— <em>we</em> look too nice.” She wanted to bite her tongue at how deeply fond she sounded. She wanted to smirk or joke or flirt excessively, to cover up the simple care in her words, but she knew well that they were far past the point for any smoke and mirrors. The two of them were wearing outfits that Sloane insisted were matching and that Hurley insisted were unintentionally adjacent in color palette. Sloane stood by her assessment: the little leaves on Hurley’s white jumper matched perfectly with the light green of Sloane’s sundress. </p><p>Hurley laughed and stuck out her chin. “Maybe I’ll get grease on myself on purpose! Then I can go change and you can stop going on about how our coincidental choice of clothes <em> proves </em> that we are forever bonded. As if I need clothes to tell me <em> that</em>,” she said, her voice lilting with that flirty tone that Sloane was hearing more and more often.</p><p>“Excuse me!” Sloane said, hand to her chest in mock offense, a gesture that lost nearly all of its effect given the happy crinkle of her eyes. “I am trying to help us be the picture perfect couple. I don't know why you're being so resistant to the fact that we’re going to look <em> amazing </em>together.” She hummed. “Speaking of looking like the perfect couple, that reminds me. Do I need to bring anything, as a houseguest and all?”</p><p>“No, I really don’t think it’s that formal,” Hurley replied, waving a hand. “Plus, I’ve got it covered.”</p><p>“Got it. I’m just saying, if I’m being quite honest, it's been a while since I've been to a party with other people,” Sloane said, pretending to consider her social habits. “I don’t know what’s <em>in </em>right now. You know I don’t have the most vibrant of social lives.”</p><p>“Oh, really? Tell me more about this social life of yours.”</p><p>They both chuckled softly.</p><p>“Hey.” Hurley turned around from the bench to look at Sloane, her serious and thoughtful face on. “I’m sorry that I haven’t really asked, but you’re good to go to this, right? Like, I know, yes of course, it’s a fun chance for us to go out together and mess with people who are fully trying to catch you. But you haven’t been out and about unmasked with many other people besides me in a while. You good?”</p><p>Sloane laughed again, earnestly. “That’s very sweet, but yes, I’m all good. I can’t go out as much because I am, you know, a wanted criminal. It is very much a hell of my own creation. Anyways, I get to go with you, so I’m truly not worried in the slightest.”</p><p>“Yeah, I assumed. I just wanted to make sure I checked with you.”</p><p>“And I appreciate that, as you know very well,” Sloane said warmly. “Now, can you please get over here and braid my hair?”</p><p>“I think you’re perfectly capable of doing that yourself,” Hurley teased, pivoting back to the bench. </p><p>“But my arms get <em> so </em> tired when I hold them up too long, and it feels <em> so </em>nice to have you do it.” Sloane batted her eyes at Hurley’s back. “And you’re so much better at it than me.”</p><p>Caving, Hurley turned and said, “Fine, sit on that stool.”</p><p>Hurley combed Sloane’s dark hair back with her fingers, sectioning it and pulling pieces over and under each other in that expert way of hers. Sloane closed her eyes and leaned into Hurley’s body behind her, its comfort caging her in. She felt so quiet, listening to Hurley hum and feeling the scratch of short fingernails against her head.</p><p>A minute later, Sloane felt Hurley give a tug on the bottom of her braid, meaning that she was done tying it off. Sloane said, “So, how should I introduce myself to these colleagues of yours? Are bird jokes <em> entirely </em> off the table?”</p><p>Hurley clicked her tongue, before reaching behind her to grab for something. She waved that something in front of Sloane’s face. When Sloane’s eyes focused on it, she recognized the object as a black feather pulled from her mask.</p><p>“You are so goddamn stupid,” Hurley muttered, almost under her breath, and she tucked the black feather into the top of Sloane’s long braid, so dark that it almost entirely blended into her hair. Hurley gave another sharp tug on the braid. “Is that enough of a bird joke for you? Just between the two of us?”</p><p>Sloane turned around in her seat and wrapped an arm around Hurley’s waist, grinning. “Between the two of us? My favorite kind of joke.”</p><p> </p><p>---</p><p> </p><p>As they walked into the party taking place in the soft grass of someone's backyard, Hurley privately acknowledged how good they probably looked together, Sloane balancing a bowl of fruit in one hand and holding Hurley’s hand in the other. </p><p>After an indeterminate amount of time bumping into coworkers that Hurley was friendly with and distant associates that she hadn’t spoken to in months, she and Sloane were stopped by a kind wave from a white-haired half-elf. They were looking at Hurley and Sloane with such warmth in their dark eyes that Hurley could already predict the comments about their couple status.</p><p><em> Oh, </em> she thought. <em> Oh, no. </em>Sloane would be so smug if they said anything about how Hurley and Sloane’s outfits were coordinated, or about how good they looked together (as if Hurley didn’t know that most of all and more than anyone). She would never hear the end of it from Sloane, who would jokingly insist that they match their outfits everywhere they go.</p><p>Hurley introduced Sloane to the half-elf, Gerri, making a mental note to steer the conversation away from topics about their appearance.</p><p>“Oh! You must be Hurley’s girlfriend,” Gerri said. “We’ve heard so much about you!”</p><p>Hurley turned a little pink, then glanced at Sloane, saying, “Gerri and I met because they’re a close personal friend of Captain Captain Bane. They also work at the Goldcliff Trust, so I’m often... around<em>.” </em> </p><p>Sloane turned to Gerri, charming smile on full display, and said, “I’m a <em> big </em>fan of the things you do at the Trust— I’m quite the frequent-flyer, or at least I try to be. I’d love to ask you some questions about your work.”</p><p>Gerri’s eyes almost seemed to glitter as they said, “Really! Well, sure, what can I help with?”</p><p>Now, <em> this </em>kind of conversation Hurley saw coming— words for others that were only really meant for Hurley and Sloane. Hurley was barely phased, and the only break in her composure was the fact that perhaps her voice came out a little higher than normal.</p><p>Trying to look as thoughtful as possible, Hurley answered, “Well, you know, we’ve been looking at places to hold funds together, especially since this is getting more serious.” She tipped her head slightly in Sloane’s direction, and embellished a little more. Hurley knew that people tended to get soft when someone was talking about the stages of a growing relationship; Gerri had been asking about Hurley and her girlfriend whenever they saw her, after Captain Captain Bane brought it up in passing. </p><p>Sloane looked pleased with Hurley’s answer to her challenge, and Gerri looked touched. “I’d love to answer questions about joint accounts.”</p><p>Hurley heard a voice calling her name and turned to see Captain Captain Bane waving her over. “Maybe some other time,” she said, smiling politely at Gerri.</p><p>With Sloane on her arm, Hurley walked over to Bane and introduced Sloane with all of the professionalism she could muster. They chatted amiably enough before Bane paused and said, “I’d like to talk to you privately for a moment, Lieutenant, if you don’t mind.” </p><p>Hurley nodded at Bane, then nudged Sloane in the side. “I’ll come find you.”</p><p>"You're in <em> trouble</em>," Sloane cooed softly in her ear as she mimed kissing her girlfriend on the cheek. She followed up at a normal volume: "Come find me when you're done, babe. I'm going to mingle." Dragging her thumb gently over Hurley's wrist before finally releasing her hand, Sloane stepped into the crowd with a confident expression. </p><p>"Your girlfriend seems very nice. I'm glad to finally meet her." Hurley refocused her attention on Captain Captain Bane. "I don't mean to bring business into this social gathering, but I just want to remind you that I need to see progress on that string of the Raven’s cases and possible associated robberies."</p><p>"Of course, sir."</p><p>"You asked me to put you in charge of this investigation, so possible whereabouts, motivations, anything— we need to see it. It's been a while since we've had new concrete leads" </p><p>Hurley had asked for that position before she and Sloane got together, back when she was chasing her and almost catching her over and over (and yeah, definitely flirting). Now, that role was something of a shield, and she had kept up the ruse of gathering information, sometimes even inventing a close call or a stand-off to justify the fact that this had been going on for a long stretch of months.</p><p>Bane continued, stroking his mustache, “She seems to have dropped off recently, but there are still some high profile cases that still we want her for, stolen goods and all that.”</p><p>Hurley sighed. What Sloane did when Hurley was at work was not something she could fully control. When they had begun seeing each other— <em>really</em> seeing each other in all of the heartfelt, burning seriousness that sometimes felt it was squeezing Hurley’s heart for all the emotion she was feeling— Sloane had pushed the fact that she wouldn’t be able to uproot herself from the Goldcliff crime network. She was known well enough by people she worked with, around, and against that it would be too suspicious for her to entirely abandon her connections. She still had to pay for racing, and she didn’t want to entirely give up her small part in trying to level the financial playing field in Goldcliff.</p><p>Hurley had grit her teeth and agreed, feeling slightly better when Sloane said she would only do what was necessary and would continue to honor their long ago promise that in return for Hurley racing with her, she would lay off anything high-profile. Plus, with Hurley at her side, she now had far more battlewagon winnings to invest or donate.</p><p>Still, that didn’t change the fact that what Sloane had done in her past, what Hurley had been chasing her down for, placed a permanent target on her back. </p><p>Hurley quickly scanned the crowd. Sloane caught her gaze from across the lawn, dark eyes that she saw so often through a raven mask wide in ill-feigned innocence. As gracefully as she did anything, Sloane raised two fingers in a v-shape to her mouth, and stuck her tongue out at Hurley.</p><p><em> I hate her (I love her), </em>Hurley thought, quietly and unobtrusively. </p><p>Hurley contorted her face into as deep a scowl as possible to still be subtle, but as quick as she was, Sloane had already dropped her hand and pivoted away. She was so seemingly carefree, so unabashed that Hurley felt warm all over, like butter was melting down her spine, and her eyes softened in spite of herself. </p><p>Hurley schooled her expression and turned back to Captain Captain Bane, who was in his own world as he rattled off a list of monthly crimes that were suspected to be linked to the Raven, some of them very minor thefts, others larger. He listed off dates and times and locations, several of which made Hurley raise an eyebrow in confusion. It seemed likely that there was either someone impersonating the Raven or else some other thief that was just getting lumped in with her. After all, Hurley knew Sloane was occupied at several of those times— most weekday mornings were racing practice, Friday was game night, and Sloane hadn’t missed those once.</p><p>Finally finishing, Bane punctuated his list with a gruff, "Got it?"</p><p>"Absolutely."</p><p>"Great. Sorry for ragging on you. Get back out there, and tell your girlfriend I say hello again."</p><p>Hurley said her goodbyes and returned to the crowd. </p><p>When Hurley finally came up to her, Sloane was talking animatedly to a smiling orc woman, seemingly making up some grand lie about what her job was. She was apparently trying to pitch herself as some kind of real estate agent. Hurley knew that Sloane was just spinning tales, but she really hoped that she was at least keeping her story consistent. If Sloane was telling a different story to every person she met here, trying on different jobs just for fun, that would be a pain for Hurley to explain. That is, she supposed, if people cared enough to gossip about her girlfriend.</p><p>Privately rolling her eyes, Hurley walked up beside Sloane and curled an arm around her waist. Without batting an eye or even pausing in the conversation, Sloane wrapped an arm around Hurley's shoulders and squeezed, as familiar as breathing. </p><p>Soon, they said goodbye to the orc woman and drifted over to a table where a spread of food was laid out. </p><p>“The captain sends his best wishes,” Hurley said quietly and tried to hold back a smile.</p><p>“Oh, how kind of him!” Sloane tipped her head into Hurley’s. “Please let him know he’s doing a great job, and that there are no hard feelings. I very much appreciate his support.”</p><p>“Yeah, I’ll go pass along the message right away.”</p><p>Arm in arm, Hurley and Sloane made a couple more rounds at the party. Hurley kept a firm grip on Sloane, trying to steer her away from any conversation that had the potential to be too long or too in-depth. Eventually, Hurley tugged Sloane away, and they quietly slipped around the side of the house and away from the crowd of people. </p><p> </p><p>---</p><p> </p><p>Sloane whipped through the desert on the outskirts of the city, windows down and Hurley laughing beside her, head thrown back. She was roughly following the Goldcliff racing track, but it was late enough that everything was quiet and they were entirely alone. </p><p>Even in the dark, Sloane knew this course practically by heart. She barely had to see the looming edge of the cliff to know it was there, and she slammed on the brake right where she would have if they were racing.</p><p>As they skidded to an abrupt stop, Hurley flung open the passenger-side door and leaped from the vehicle, landing gracefully on her feet. Sloane took her time, and rounded the front of the car to see Hurley spreading a blanket in front of the car, right on the cliff’s edge. </p><p>Sloane felt a bubble of emotion lodged deep in her chest, so pure and hot that it choked her a little bit. They were both completely silent, but it was a silence of deep familiarity, not a loss of words. There was nothing that needed to be said. They knew it all already— this, and so much more. </p><p>Light gusts of wind blew by them, and the night was warm and clear. Beyond the cliff, the land stretched on and on, canyons and valleys and hills and forests now just ethereal shadows in the distance. The sky was as bright as ever, stars spread out against the night like some grand, fated tapestry being woven into eternity. And beneath it all, Sloane saw Hurley, more beautiful than any of it.</p><p>Hurley looked over her shoulder at Sloane, beckoning with just a glance, then sat down on the blanket with her feet just barely hanging over the edge of the cliff. Sloane stood motionless and wide-eyed for one moment, two moments, trying to take in as much as she could of this picture of Hurley, and the universe (an afterthought). <em> If only I were a painter. </em> Taking a deep breath, Sloane closed her eyes tight. She locked that image in the forefront of her mind. </p><p>Sloane sat beside Hurley and leaned into her, putting her weight onto a hand whose fingers tangled with Hurley’s. She kissed Hurley once on the forehead, twice on the cheek, then softly on the mouth, before resting her chin atop Hurley’s head. Hurley wrapped a strong arm around her waist.</p><p>“I’m so happy I finally caught you,” Hurley whispered, so quietly that it was almost entirely carried away by the night air.</p><p>Sloane just hummed, feeling more than words could say and sure enough that Hurley could read every emotion that was glowing in her heart. The undeniable feeling of<em> I know you </em> and <em> you know me </em> wrapped around them in warm, true bonds as they gazed up at the glittering desert stars.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>this is the first thing i’ve published since i was a lot younger- thank you for reading it!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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